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already started, there’s still half a bottle of wine, and we both know it would be good.”

Sloan extracted her fingers and dropped the jump drive into Talia’s open palm. “You were quite a challenge, and I enjoyed the hunt. But make no mistake. If any harm comes to Michael, I’ll come for you too.

And I’ll never stop.”

“I envy her,” Talia said.

Sloan shrugged into her jacket and started toward the door, Talia beside her. “Thanks for the wine.”

“You’re welcome. I’m only sorry I couldn’t offer you more than that.” Talia kissed her on the mouth, then opened the door. “Good night.”

v

As soon as Sloan turned the corner, she saw Rebecca’s Corvette parked across the street from their headquarters. She rolled into the garage, parked, and rode the elevator to the third floor.

“That was fast,” Rebecca said. Rebecca was alone in the conference room. “Should we have gone in wired?”

Sloan kicked out a chair and dropped into it. “No. She’s careful.

We wouldn’t have gotten anything.”

“Did we get something?”

“Nothing you want to know about.” Grinning, Sloan checked her watch. By morning she expected to be walking around in Kratos Zamora’s virtual office. She’d be able to see who he e-mailed, his financial statements, his business plans, his real estate holdings, and anything else he did with his computer. The cybertap didn’t precisely fall under the investigative parameters the team was officially bound by, but then the laws regarding cyberinvestigation were still murky. “To be safe, we’ll need to corroborate anything we eventually want to bring to court, but we’re finally getting ahead in this game.”

Rebecca nodded, thinking of Jeff and Jimmy, and the men who had taken their fists to Sandy. “Work it.”

“That’s my plan.” Sloan started for the door, then turned back. “I, uh…I want to thank you for trusting me on this. I know I screwed up not telling you sooner.”

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“Yeah, you did.” Rebecca rubbed both hands over her face. “But I never doubted which side of the line you stood on.”

“Thanks.” Sloan shrugged. “I suppose you know you look like shit. Maybe you should call it a night.”

“I’m going to. I just need to check in with Mitchell.”

“Okay then.” Sloan left her there, hoping she’d get some rest, because she had a feeling things were going to move quickly now.

Upstairs, Michael was waiting on the sofa in the living room, curled up in the corner, reading. Sloan pulled off her jacket, tossed it on the adjoining chair, and kissed her.

“She gave you wine?” Michael grabbed Sloan’s arm and pulled her down next to her.

“A very nice red Burgundy.”

Michael raised her eyebrows. “Friendly of her.”

“We parted on friendly terms.”

“You got what you needed?”

Sloan nodded. “Yes.”

“I gather she didn’t.”

Laughing, Sloan kissed her again. “You’d have to ask her, but I don’t think so.”

“No need.” Michael cupped the back of Sloan’s neck and pulled her closer. The lingering taste of wine and the heat of Sloan’s mouth were intoxicating. “I’m just feeling a little territorial.”

“I’ve got a few hours before I need to get to work.”

Michael reached behind her and blindly dropped the book onto the end table. “Then let’s not waste any time.”

v

Dell knocked on the open conference room door. “You want to see me, Lieutenant?”

Rebecca was leaning back in her chair, her eyes closed. “Come on in. Have a seat, Detective.” She straightened. “Any word from Irina?”

“Yes ma’am. I was on my way back from seeing her when you called.” Dell pulled out the chair opposite Rebecca. “Olik left a message at the club. He wants to see her Wednesday night.”

“She’s still at the apartment?”

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“Yes. I’m going to meet her there and we’ll go over to Ziggie’s together.”

“I don’t think we can risk wiring you. Not for the first meet with Olik. He’s going to be suspicious.”

“I agree. But at least we’ll be at the club. That’s probably safer than meeting him anywhere else.”

Rebecca nodded. “I’m going to put Jasmine inside again.”

Dell nodded. “Jasmine will need an escort. One of the Kings, maybe.”

“How much do you trust them? I don’t want to bring them in on the whole investigation, but they need to know there’s some risk.”

“I think they’ve got a pretty good idea what’s going on. I trust them.” Dell considered the guys. “Phil has a bit of a thing for Irina.

He’d be willing to help.”

“We’ll have Jasmine talk to them.”

“Okay.” Dell hesitated. “Do we have anything from Bishop Thomas yet?”

“He was instructed to put a message out that he wants in on the next big party. We’re waiting for someone to contact him. Hopefully Irina will get some idea as to when and where that will be in time for us to set up the takedown. I want her to be there.”

“And Sandy?”

“We’ll play that as it comes.” Rebecca watched Dell, waiting.

“She told me what she wants to do. About applying to the academy.

That you’ll back her application.”

“She’s a natural. And she wants it.” Rebecca grinned. “She’s a lot like you that way.”

“I just want you know,” Dell said as she stood, “that I’m glad she’s got you to help her.”

“She’s got something she needs even more than that. She’s got you, Mitchell. Don’t ever let her forget that.”

“No ma’am. I won’t.”

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ChAPTER TwENTy-SEvEN

Darling, your brother is here,” Sofia Zamora said from the doorway of Kratos’s den.

Kratos smiled at his wife and motioned her in as he placed the report he was reading next to his coffee cup on the table where he was enjoying a late breakfast. The small dining alcove adjacent to his den overlooked the gardens in the rear of their home. “Tell him to come back. And would you have Marianna bring in more coffee and food.”

“Of course.” She leaned down and kissed him. “You won’t forget that we have tickets to the symphony on Friday.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” He caught her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. She smelled of roses, the delicate scent reminding him of her deceptive strength. Her small-boned figure, luminous dark eyes, and pale skin made her appear fragile, but he knew that, like the rose, she was not only beautiful but also dangerous. She guarded her territory—her family—as fiercely as he guarded his business. They were well matched.

“And tell Jacqueline,” his wife said, referring to his private secretary, “to schedule you for a haircut too.” She ran her fingers through the hair just above his collar. “You’re looking a little uncivilized.”

He laughed and pulled out his PDA to send a message. “Done.”

“Thank you, darling.” Sofia skimmed his mouth with hers. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Kratos watched her depart, feeling a pull in his groin. Even after two children she was still striking, and he knew he was the envy of other men. He had chosen well. He stretched out his legs, pleased with

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his life. Gregor entered followed by the maid, who pushed a cart laden with more coffee and pastries. She arranged these on the table and quickly left without making eye contact with either man.

“You’re up early,” Kratos said. Much of Gregor’s part of the business involved meetings with men who spent their nights in bars or private clubs and didn’t go to bed until after sunrise. Ordinarily, his brother’s day began at three in the afternoon.

“I felt the need for confession this morning,” Gregor said, helping himself to coffee.

“And now you feel closer to God?” Kratos laughed.

“God’s money, definitely.”

“I take it our religious friend enjoyed his evening out.”

“Not only the evening, but the company.” Gregor tilted back in his chair with a smirk. “Apparently one of the girls twists his crank in just the right direction. He wants her again.”

“How soon?”

“Whatever she did to him, he’s addicted. As soon as we can set something up.”

Kratos frowned. The interruption in their supply lines from the port, coupled with a lapse in security at one of the Russian safe houses, had strained their escort business. If all their girls were out on private calls, it was difficult to set up a group gathering quickly. “Will he solo?”

“No. He thinks he’s more anonymous if he’s with the others.”

Gregor laughed. “Who knows. Maybe he’s secretly a homo, and he gets off watching the other guys get their pipes cleaned.”

“Can we accommodate him?”

“We’ve got a couple other clients who are hot for an instant replay.

That makes it worth setting up something soon. Maybe the weekend.”

“What about the girl he wants?”

Gregor shrugged. “She’s one of the Russians. They can’t seem to keep track of their merchandise. Hopefully they haven’t lost her.” He finished his cheese Danish and brushed off his hands. “I’ll tell them to bring the same group as the last time. A few others want the same girls too. Jesus, you’d think when you were paying for it, all you’d care about was the pussy, not who it belonged to.”

“These are discerning men,” Kratos said dryly.

“Yeah, right.” Gregor squeezed his crotch and shook his head.

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“Set it up. Let me know if you have any problems.”

“I’ll put a call in to Olik.”

“Good.” Kratos checked his watch. “I’ve got a meeting with the board in an hour. Anything else?”

“Yeah. The Russians are grumbling. They want to know when they can start bringing girls in again. They’re running short in the clubs too.”

Kratos lifted the report he’d been reading and smiled. “I got an update this morning from Talia. She’s not only beautiful, she’s good.”

“Have you had a piece of that yet?”

Kratos had a quick flash of Talia’s smile as she denied him, and his temper spiked along with his erection. Determined not to give his brother the satisfaction of seeing his frustration, he ignored the uncomfortable throbbing in his groin. He’d have her soon enough. He could tell she was enjoying the game, but she was as ready as he was for it to end. “She’s been able to hack into the HPCU databases. They’re pulling back surveillance at the port.”

“Ha. Why?”

“Lack of manpower. And they couldn’t trace anything in the computers.” Kratos smiled with satisfaction. “Security will be tightened temporarily, but it shouldn’t take long to loosen up. It’s a big port and it costs money to keep a big security force.”

“What can I tell the Russians about resuming business as usual?”

“Tell them soon.”

“What else do they have?” Gregor asked, indicating the papers resting under Kratos’s hand.

“They’re focusing their investigation on the Russians, but thus far they’ve only identified a few street-level numbers runners. Nothing in our line of work.”

“Nothing to worry about, then.”

“No,” Kratos murmured, reaching down to adjust himself, letting his hand linger for a few seconds on the turgid reminder of his own power and prowess. “Nothing to worry about at all.”

v

Bishop Thomas opened the door to his study and motioned Rebecca inside, checking up and down the hall as if to be certain they

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were alone. Before the door had even closed behind her, he said sharply,

“I hope this is the last time.”

“Problem?” Rebecca reached for the credit card–sized recorder he passed to her over his desk. The thin wires leading to a microphone the size of a shirt button were barely visible to the naked eye.

“No.” He sat down behind his desk, his expression registering distaste. “He has no reason to be suspicious.”

“Good.”

“I can’t carry that to the meeting.”

Rebecca smiled thinly. “Meeting. Is that what you call it?”

He clenched his jaw and didn’t answer.

“Why not? Do they search you?”

He looked affronted. “Of course not. We’re paying them to see that we are protected. Just the same, it would be too easy for one of the women to find it.”

“The girls, you mean. The underage girls providing you with sexual services.” Rebecca remembered the pictures of the teenagers servicing him. He should be behind bars, and in all likelihood, the worst that would happen to him was that he would be transferred to another prestigious diocese in another city. She wondered if letting Talia Ballenger walk away was as difficult for Sloan as allowing this man go practically unpunished was for her.

“You have no right to put my life at risk.”

Rebecca shot up so quickly he flinched back in his chair. She leaned over his desk, her arms braced on either side of his expensive leather blotter. “The minute you put your hands on one of those girls you gave me the right to do whatever I want.”

“I’ve paid you back.”

“Not enough,” Rebecca whispered. “Not nearly enough.”

v

Rebecca placed the recorder in the center of the conference table.

“Jason, it’s all yours. Another link in the chain. I want a copy secured off-site. Nothing about this goes into the central records system.”

“Our network is completely separate from anything at One Police Plaza.” Sloan grinned. “And about a thousand times better.”

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“I hope so,” Rebecca said.

Jason, seated next to Sloan, picked up the small device. “Have you listened to it?”

“No. I didn’t trust myself not to ram it up his ass,” Rebecca said tightly.

“What about Irina’s sister?” Mitchell asked. “Did he say anything about her?”

“He was instructed to ask for the same girls as last time. He’s smart enough to do as he’s told at this point.”

Watts grunted. “He’s not as smart as he thinks. We’re going to bust him with the rest of those pervs, right, Loo?”

“We are.” Rebecca sighed. “But he’s probably going to get a walk on most of the charges. And no official record of any of them. But his superiors will be informed. That’s nonnegotiable.”

“It’s not right,” Mitchell muttered.

Rebecca swung around in her chair. “You’re right. It isn’t. But we trade up, or we get nothing.”

“I know.” Mitchell stared at the table, a muscle quivering along the edge of her jaw. “But it blows.”

Watts laughed. “You keep getting pissed off about pricks like this getting a deal, kid. It’ll keep your edge.”

“Sloan?” Rebecca asked. “Something for me?”

“Zamora got the package from Talia. It’s going to take Jason and me a few days to comb through his system, but he downloaded her report with what she supposedly found in our records. And left a little present behind.”